Method of and apparatus for generating gas from liquefied gas



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GAS FROM LIQUE G. W. Dl METHOD OF' AND APPARATUS CK FOR GENERATING F'IED GAS Filed Aug. l5, 1941 INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES 'ENT OFFICE George W. Dick, Loveland, Ohio, assignor to The Bastian-Blessing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application August 13, 194.1, Serial No. 406,734

3 Claims.

This invention relates to gas generating apparatus and more particularly for progressively converting a highly volatile fuel such as butane from its liquid to its vapor state for consumption, although certain features thereof may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application filed June 2'7, 1936, Serial No. 87,658 for Gas generating apparatus, reference to which is hereby made.

It contemplates more especially the imparting of agitation or circulation to the highly volatile fuel such as butane Within a confining tank or reservoir so as to utilize the heat of the surrounding medium to progressively effect its transversion from a liquid to a vapor state.

Numerous types of devices have heretofore been proposed for vaporizing fuel, but these are inefficient, expensive, and embody intricate instrumentalities. Highly volatile fuel such as butane is most efficiently consumed in its vapor state, and the simplified vaporization thereof Warrants its adoption as a fuel for both domestic and commercial purposes.

Obviously, most fuels can be vaporized by the application of extraneous heat Which substantially enhances the cost of such fuel treatment and otherwise complicates the instrumentalities that are necessary for effecting the conversion.

With. the teachings of the instant invention, it is proposed to utilize the heat inherent in a storage tank that is preferably positioned in the ground below the frost line so that the heat from the surrounding earth may be utilized for con- I version of liquid butane to its gaseous or vapor state.

This conversion of the liquid to its vapor state, is accomplished by the transfer of ground heat to the liquid butane stored in the tank to develop a vapor pressure therein. The stored liquid is forced by this vapor pressure into a container mounted inside the storage tank through a valve which controls the amount of liquid permitted in the compartment. The vapor is Withdrawn from the compartment for use in a house appliance as controlled by a service line regulator, and, as the vapor is withdrawn from the compartment the liquid remaining in the compartment absorbs heat in the Walls of the compartment, which heat is convectively conveyed thereto from the earth by the liquid stored in the storage tank.

Butane is a by-product of gasoline, and has a boiling point of 33 F. It is the most suitable gas utilizable with the teachings of the instant invention for the purpose set forth, since pentane or commercial gasoline has a boiling point of 94 F. While propane has a boiling point of minus 40 F. Consequently, of these three related fuels, butane is most suitable for conversion into a vapor or gaseous state for eflicient consumption to fulll commercial requirements.

One object of the present invention is to simplify and improve the operation of converting highly volatile fuels such as butane into a Vapor or gaseous state.

Another object is to provide for converting liquid butane into a gas for eventual consumption Without the aid of extraneous heat.

Still another object is to provide for progressively converting liquid butane to a gaseous fuel without exercising any care, supervision or utilizing any intricate mechanism.

A further object is to provide for converting liquid butane into a gaseous fuel without entailing any labor, instrumentalities requiring maintenance, or other expensive expedients.

A still further object is to provide for progressively converting liquid butane into a gaseous state during the consumption thereof.

Still a further object is to provide a storage container with instrumentalities of a simple, inexpensive and fixed type which progressively converts liquid butane into a gas responsive to its consumption Without requiring any labor, expensive instrumentalities, or a plurality of liquid fuels to render this accomplishment possible.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a sectional view in elevation of a storage tank embodying features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line II-II of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional View in elevation of a float valve shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating another form of the invention in which the vapor bi1-pass is eliminated.

The structure selected for illustration comprises a tank I0 which is of standard design and may vary within a Wide range to provide different capacities depending upon the dictates of commercial practice and the requirements of any particular installation. The tank l0 is usually constructed to provide a cylindrical body l I having circular end enclosures l2 and I3 which are welded or otherwise attached to the cylindrical body II to hermetically seal the ends thereof for confinement of liquid, gas or other substances Without any possible escape therefrom other than through its large orifice provided for that purpose.

In the present embodiment, the body I I of the tank I is provided with threaded flanges I4 and I5 fixed along a top longitudinal median line thereof to enable the attachment of pipes I5 and I'I, respectively, which are in threaded engagement therewith. As shown, the pipes I3 and II have extensions I8 and I9 confined within the tank Iii so as to denne the filling level to which the tank IU is charged with any liquid. Hand valves 2li and 2l are provided in the intake pipes I6 and Il which extend upwardly so that the tank Il! may be submerged in the confining earth or 4ground 22 below the frost line thereof so that the walls will be in direct contact therewith to absorb the heat therefrom.

Obviously, the frost line varies in different localities depending upon climatic conditions so that the depth to which the tank II! is submerged depends entirely upon local conditions which are easily determined for any particular installation. It is worthy of note that the hand valves and 2I are disposed above the ground 22 so as to be exteriorly accessible for manual control so that the tank I0 may be charged with the liquid fuel such as butane through the pipes I6 and I'I in the customary and well known manner. Further elaboration on the precise method of supplying butane to the tank is thought unnecessary in that this is effected in a manner well known with a flange 29 welded or otherwise xed to the body I I preferably though not essentially in longitudinal alignment with the flanges I4 and I5 described supra. The pipe 26 includes one or more regulators 23a therein to reduce the vapor pressure to service pressure and serves to convey the gaseous fuel to any suitable burner or other apparatus for consumption or use depending upon the purpose of any particular installation. It is proposed to convey only gaseous or vaporous fuel through the pipe 25. This requires the progressive conversion of the liquid fuel 23 to a vapor or gaseous state responsive to the consumption of the vapor fuel that is conveyed through the pipe 26, it being well known and recognized that vapor or gaseous fuel is far more efiicient for consumption than liquid fuel.

To this end, the tank I0 is, in this instance, provided with a chambered member 3G that extends vertically downward from the coupler 23, it having a threaded peripheral edge 3l for engagement with the correspondingly threaded bore 32 provided in the coupler 28 coaxially of the port 2l for communication with the pipe 23 in engagement therewith. As shown, the chambered member extends downwardly to a position proximate to the bottom of the tank I3, and is provided with a closed bottom end 33 to dene a chamber 34 distinct from the interior 35 of the tank Ill so as to provide an exchange of fuel from one to the other. This is effective in converting the liquid fuel 23 to a gaseous or vapor state for passage through the pipe 26 that leads to the consumer.

To accomplish this end, the chamber 3G is provided with a tubular member such as a pipe 35 that extends to a level coincident with the chambered .bottom for connection through a coupler 3'! to a valve body 38, which valve may comprise an expansion valve or a reverse ow check valve, if, upon occasion, such is desired. The valve body 3S is fixed to the side wall of the chamber 35i at any desirable level ,:etvffeen the Maxi liquid level 2li and the bottom e 33. The valve body 3S couru interior 3Q of tle chamber 3!) so t provide a path for fuel passage therefrom to interior 35 of the tank iii through the pipe The valve body 38 is provided with a valve pir. that is reciprocally mounted therein to confront a correspondingly shaped seat fill in communication with the interior of the tubular pipe there being a port il provided in the valve body 38 to extend from the interior of the chamber 3U to the interior of the pipe 36 with the valve pin 33 disposed therebetween to control the passage of fuel therethrough.

To this end, the valve pin 39 is provided with a coil spring (l2 in enveloping relation therewith so as to normally urge the valve pin 38 away from its seat l!!! to provide communication between the interior of the tubular pipe 35 and the port ll of the valve body 38. So that the liquid 23 will be maintained at a maximum level within the chamber coincident with the vertical position or level of the valve body 33, a iioat lll is xed to a rod i5 anchored to a bell crank lever 3E. The bell crank lever 46 is pivoted to the valve body 38 by means of a pintle 41 so that its arms 49 and 5G will cooperate with the valve body 38 and the valve pin 39, respectively.

The lever arm 32 cooperates with the valve body 33 so as to limit the counterclcckwise disp3acement of the float 54 (viewed from Figure 2) while the lever arm 53 is disposed in the path of the valve pin 33 so as to effect the displacement of the latter in the direction of its seat 5.3 against the urge of the spring l2 when the liquid fuel ,3 rises to a level above the pintle 4T, The liquid 43 enters the chamber 3U through the pipe 35 that communicates with the port 4I provided in the valve body 38 so as to fill that portion of the chamber 33 beneath the pintle l? with the liquid fuel 5.13 from the comparatively larger chamber 35 comprising the interior of the tank I0.

In order to effect the circulation of liquid fuel within the tank II] so as to absorb heat from the surrounding medium such as the ground 22 for the progressive conversion of the liquid fuel 23 to a gas or vapor fuel 25, a pipe 5I extends vertically downward withn the tank I3 and parallel to the chamber 33 so that its upper extremity 52 is preferably within the vapor space 25 above the maximum fuel line 24, its lower extremity 53 being connected to an elbow 53 that engages a nipple 55 in communication with the interior 34 of the chamber 3Q.

As shown, the nipple 55 is fixed to the chamber 35 proximate to the bottom 33 thereof so that the gas or vapor fuel 25 will be forced downwardly through the pipe 5I responsive to its own vapor pressure above the liquid fuel line 24 for passage and circulation through the liquid 43 confined in the chamber 35. This provides a crcuitous path for the gas that is responsible for effective commingling and agitation of the liquid within the tank i6 to absorb the heat from its surrounding medium and progressively convert the liquid butane 23 to a gas or vapor fuel 25 the pressure of which is utilized in forcing liquid from the body 23 thereof upwardly through the pipe 36 and then through the valve 38 and then into the vaporizing chamber 36. This agitated conduction of liquid fuel from the large chamber 35 constituting the interior of the tank Ill to the interior of the chamber 3l! for eventual discharge in the form of gas through the pipe 26, is effected when and during the consumption of gas which is drawn through the pipe 26.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the pipe 5| is eliminated as a matter of economy, depending upon the type of liquefied petroleum gas that is expected to be used in the system. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, the vaporizer 3D, through the medium of the pipe 5l, is in communication with the gas space 25 in the storage tank I0, but in Figure 4 the pipe 5l having been omitted. there is no such communication with the gas space 25 and the vaporizer is entirely sealed therefrom. Furthermore, while the pipe 36 affords communication between the liquid in the tank lil and the vaporizer, this pipe is closed by the valve 39 under the control of the iioat 44 in the normal condition of the system and therefore the liquid in the vaporizer 30 is segregated and sealed from the liquid 23 in the storage tank. Accordingly. it will be understood that the liquid in the vaporizer is segregated from the vapor of the stored liquid at all times and is segregated from the stored liquid except during ejection of liquid from the stored liquid to the segregated liquid. If the stored gas has mixed therewith a propane to increase the volatility, the agitation developed by the pipe 5| may not be needed. In the construction shown in Fig. 4 the cooling action of vaporization taking place in the chamber 3B will cause convective circulation of the contents 23 in the tank i6 suflicient to subject the contents 43 of chamber 3i) to a mixing motion and vaporization will be assisted thereby. Reduction in pressure within chamber 30 caused by movement of gas from chamber 30 through the pipe 26 will also assist vaporization.

No particular control is necessary therefor except to insure that the liquid fuel 53 within the chamber 36 will not rise to the pipe 26, this being precluded by the float operated valve 39. Should the float valve 38 become inoperative or ineffective through any mechanical failure or defect, another emergency relief valve 56 is preferably provided in a valve body 57 fixed to the wall of the chamber 30 at a position above the valve body 38 and below the port 2l that reaches to the pine 26 connected to the consumer. A valve pin 56 is reciprocably mounted in the valve body 57 to cooperate with the correspondingly shaped seat 5B.

A coil spring 59 envelopes the valve pin 56 to normally urge the valve 56 from its seat 58 and provide communication between the interior 34 of the chamber 3D through a port 60 provided in the valve body 57. The 'valve pin 56 is, however, normally maintained in contact with its seat 58 by means of a float 52 fixed to a rod 63 anchored to a lever 64. The lever 64 is pivoted to the valve body 51 'by means of a pintle 65 so as to normally gravitate the float 62 in a counterclockwise direction (viewed from Figure 2) so that the valve pin 56 will be maintained in Contact with its seat 58 to close the port 6l.

This is accomplished by means of an arm 66 formed on the lever 64 and disposed in the path Lin 'of the valve pin 56 to normally close the port 6I against the urge of the spring 59. Should the float operated valve 56 stick or otherwise become ineffective for limiting the level of the liquid fuel 133 and the latter rises to the float 62, its connecting rod 63 will be displaced in a clockwise direction responsive to the continued rise of the liquid fuel 43 and thus remove the lever arm 64 from the valve pin 56 so that the spring 59 will be free to effect its displacement to the left (viewed from Figure 2) and open the valve seats 58 for communication with the port 6I so that the liquid fuel 43 will pass into the chamber 35 constituting the interior of the tank lil.

It is worthy of note, however, that the valve body 5'! with its float operated valve 56 is attached to the chamber 3u at a level normally above the maximum liquid fuel level 2d so that the excess liquid Within the chamber 36 will be discharged into the tank IU without any particular interruption to the conversion of 'the liquid fuel to its gaseous state and insuring against the withdrawal of liquid fuel 43 through the delivery pipe 26 connected to the consumer.

It will thus be apparent that effective agitation Vand commingling of the fuel 23 within the tank l il is effected by providing a distinct chamber within the comparatively larger chamber or interior dened by the tank i6 and 'that progressive conversion of butane from its liquid to its gaseous or vapor state is progressively effected by resort to heat normally possessed by the ground 22 and the metal of the tank il) which is submerged therein.

To clarify the term extraneous heat as referred to herein; it should be borne in mind that such term is applied to heat that is articially furnished such as by establishing combustion or applying heat. This term is not used to apply to the heat inherent in the ground 22 below the frost line thereof which is conducted to the tank IU, and thus absorbed by the liquid fuel 23 such as butane that is vaporized to an appreciable extent to ll the space provided therefor above the initial liquid line 2d.

This is initially accomplished with resort to commingling or the conduction of fuel between the chambers 3|] and 35, since the space 25 above the maximum liquid line 24 is measured to accommodate the initial conversion of the liquid butane 23 as the tank lil is charged therewith. Its conversion will instantaneously take place when the liquid butane 23 strikes the interior walls of the tank l0 which is lled therewith up to the maximum level 24 defined by the lower extremities of the intake pipe extensions i3 and i9.

Reference is hereby made to my Patent No. 2,211,005 to the extent that the disclosure contained therein is helpful to a fuller understanding of the present invention.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention or any features thereof, and nothing herein shall be construed as limitations upon the invention, its concept or structural embodiment as to the whole or any part thereof except as dei-ined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. The method of vaporizing liquefied gas including the steps of storing liquid gas in a storage pool within the ground and below the frost line in heat exchange relation with the ground and thereby generating from said stored liquid vapor above atmospheric pressure, conningfsaid Vapor in pressure relation with the liquid, ejecting liquid only from the stored liquid, maintaining said vapor conned and in Vpressure relation with the stored liquid While electing liquid, collecting and segregating the ejected liquid in a vaporizing pool of liquid in heat exchange relation Awith said stored liquid and thereby generating Vapor from the segregated liquid, replacing vaporized segregated liquid from the stored liquid by changes in the level of the segregated liquid due to vaporization thereof, and maintaining the vaporizing pool of liquid segregated from tho vapor of the stored liquid at all times and vfrom the stored liquid except during ejection of liquid therefrom to the pool of segregated liquid.

2. The method of vaporizing liquefied gas including the steps of storin g liquid gas in a storage pool within the ground and below the frost line in heat exchange relation with the ground and thereby generating from said stored liquid vapor above atmospheric pressure, confining said vapor in pressure relation with the liquid, ej ecting liquid only from the stored liquid, maintaining said vapor confined and in pressure relation with the stored liquid while ejecting liquid, collecting and segregating the ejected liquid in a vapcrizing pool of liquid in heat exchange relation with said stored liquid and thereby generating vapor from the segregated liquid, replacing vaporized segregated liquid from the stored liquid by changes in the level of the segregated liquid due to vaporization thereof, and maintaining the vaporizing pool of liquid segregated from the vapor of the stored liquid at all times and from the stored liquid except during ejection of liquid therefrom to the pool of segregated liquid, and conducting vapor from the segregated liquid at a pressure less than the pressure of the Vapor generated from the segregated liquid.

3. In a liquefied petroleum gas apparatus, a storage tank to be buried in the ground below the frost line and to store a body of liqueiied gas under its own gas pressure in both its liquid and vapor phases, a Vaporizing chamber within the tank for contact with a body of liqueed gas in the tank, a conduit constituting the sole inlet from the tank to said chamber for conducting liquid gas from the tank to the chamber, means for replacing vaporized segregated liquid from the stored liquid by changes in the level of segregated liquid due to vaporization thereof and including a valve for the conduit and a float Within the vaporizing chamber and associated with the Valve to close the same at a substantially predetermined level of liquid gas within the chamber, said vaporizing chamber being sealed from the vapor space of the storage tank at all times and sealed from stored liquid in the storage tank except during ejection of liquid from the storage tank to the vaporizing chamber,

GEORGE W. DICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 20,624 White Jan. 11, 1938 1,352,788 Catron Sept. 14, 1920 1,752,165 Ford Mar. 25, 1930 1,752,166 Ford Mar. 25, 1930 1,917,154 Porter July 4, 1933 1,935,925 Wannack Nov. 2l, 1933 2,072,713 Folmsbee et al Mar. 2, 1937 2,252,261 Jones Aug. 12, 1941 2,260,356 White Oct. 28, 1941 

1. THE METHOD OF VAPORIZING LIQUEFIED GAS INCLUDING THE STEPS OF STORING LIQUID GAS IN A STORAGEPOOL WITHIN THE GROUND AND BELOW THE FROST LINE IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATION WITH THE GROUND AND THEREBY GENERATING FROM SAID STORED LIQUID VAPOR ABOVE ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, CONFINING SAID VAPOR IN PRESSURE RELATION WITH THE LIQUID, EJECTING LIQUID ONLY FROM THE STORED LIQUID, MAINTAINING SAID VAPOR CONFINED AND IN PRESSURE RELATION WITH THE STORED LIQUID WHILE EJECTING LIQUID, COLLECTING AND SEGREGATING THE EJECTED LIQUID IN A VAPORIZING POOL OF LIQUID IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATION WITH SAID STORED LIQUID AND THEREBY GENERATING VAPOR FROM THE SEGREGATED LIQUID, REPLACING VAPORIZED SEGREGATED LIQUID FROM THE STORED LIQUID BY CHANGES IN THE LEVEL OF THE SEGREGATED LIQUID DUE TO VAPORIZATION THEREOF, AND MAINTAINING THE VAPORIZING POOL OF LIQUID SEGREGATED FROM THE VAPOR OF THE STORED LIQUID AT ALL TIMES AND FROM THE STORED LIQUID EXCEPT DURING EJECTION OF LIQUID THEREFROM TO THE POOL OF SEGREGATED LIQUID. 